Thursday, September 19, 2013

Opportunistic Spirituality

I use the word, spirituality, with frequency.I am also aware that this word is tossed
around in many different ways.In fact,
I do think that many of us use the word without being very clear what it
means.Sometimes, I think some folks
want to use the word to say something like, “I’m religious, but not really into
religion.”Usually that means they are
not part of an institutional form of religion.For many, that simply means they gave up going to church or to the
temple.

When I use the word, spirituality, I am wanting to point to
the “lived experience” aspect of religion.Spirituality always begins with experience in my understanding.For example, it is one thing to say, “I
believe in God.”It is quite another to
say, “here is how I experience the God in Whom I believe.”That is spirituality.

It is for that reason I consider dealing with spirituality
to be more difficult than dealing with religion.Religion---at least, in the Christian
sense---typically begins with doctrine or belief.If one were to ask the common person on the
street to define religion, I think most would begin by talking about what they
believe.

Doctrine and belief are mental.They are rational ways to explain something
about our universe.It is not unusual to
have to “make up our minds” about what we are going to believe.And we can change what we believe.However, if I change what I believe about
God, for instance, that does not necessarily mean God changes.God is still God; but if I have changed my
belief, that means I have changed the way I view God---changed the way I talk
about God.

Spirituality, on the other hand, tells folks how I encounter
and experience that God.There are
countless ways for me to be intentional in my hope to encounter and experience
God.Prayer and meditation would be two
of the classic ways.If I pray
regularly, then probably my chances of experiencing God are enhanced.The same goes for meditation.By meditating regularly, I open myself and
make myself available for God to be present in my experience.

Intentionality is very good and I am all for it.In fact, that is the most predictable way to
become spiritual and to enhance one’s spirituality.But there is another way to become
spiritual.The alternative way is to be
aware of the unintended opportunities that come our way.In effect, we become opportunistic (instead
of intentional).

If we become aware, we will realize opportunities come our
way with some frequency.Nature is one
sure bet to offer us opportunities to experience the Holy One.One only has to pay attention to the beauty
of the autumn season.Who do you think
painted the natural landscape?

Here I want to point out especially the role other people
play as spiritual opportunities.That reason
that so many of us do not consider other people as opportunities to experience
the Divinity is we simply do not expect that to be possible. But think about it.All the major religious traditions talk about
God being active in the world.What is
to say part of the Divine activity does not frequently happen through other
people with whom we come in contact?

Be opportunistic.Change the way you think God might be available to you this day in the
lives and actions of others.Who says
the other person’s smile is not a glimpse of humor?Who is to say the tender word is not a
spiritual caress?

And why choose to be that Divine vehicle yourself?Incarnate the Spirit and become an
opportunity for some friend to encounter and experience God this day.